Traveling Soldier
by TenToo
Summary: Bucky met Connie in a diner the day before he shipped to bootcamp during WWII. She was his waitress and he had no one to stay in contact with except his best friend, Steve. He asked if he could write to her. She offered him more than that. ((Inspired by the Dixie Chicks' song "Traveling Soldier")) Had to repost. Sorry!


James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes thumbed the frayed corner of the menu, his stomach full of butterflies. He was shipping out to bootcamp in just a day's time and was starting to get antsy. He was eager to get there and prove himself yet it was a bittersweet moment. He was leaving behind his best friend, Steve. Steve had been trying to enlist but the Army would never let him in — he was too scrawny. Steve was maybe ninety pounds; Bucky didn't even know if he was that. It was safe to say that Steve wouldn't be joining him at bootcamp anytime soon.

"What can I get you, hon'?" A sweet voice said. Bucky looked up, almost having to do a double take. She was gorgeous, shoulder length dark brown hair and eyes of the same color. He found himself staring and she just smiled at him, a blush spreading on her cheeks.

Bucky shook his head, clueing his thoughts. "Sorry, ma'am." He glanced down at the menu again. "May I have coffee, bacon, and eggs, please?"

"Of course." She said, smiling at him before turning toward the kitchen. She twirled back around and said, "I'm Connie, by the way."

"James Barnes, but most call me Bucky." He said, offering her his kindest smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bucky." She walked to the kitchen to place his order then came immediately back.

"Would you like to sit down?" He asked, gesturing across the table at the empty side of the booth. He was the only one in the diner so she had nothing else to do. She slipped into the booth and adjusted her skirt.

"What brings you here?" She asked. "We don't get too many young men like you. It's mostly the elderly."

"I'm staying nearby to catch the bus in the morning and heard good things about the place." Bucky replied.

"Where are you off to?" She asked, placing her hands on the table.

"Camp Lehigh."

"An Army boy?"

"Not yet. Hopefully, though." That warranted a laugh from her. He smiled, it was his favorite crooked, goofy smile. She found it endearing.

"So what's your story, Private Barnes?"

"I grew up in Brooklyn with my folks. I've been taking care of my best friend most of our lives, I didn't have time for much else."

She was looking at him in awe, a dreamy expression set on her face.

"Order's up, Con!" A shout came from the kitchen. This snapped Connie out of her reverie. She jumped out of the seat and walked over to the window where the cook had set Bucky's food. She grabbed the mug of fresh coffee and plate ladened with eggs and bacon and walked back to Bucky, setting both down in front of him. He picked up the fork and knife and began to eat, terribly hungry. He heard a quiet giggle and looked up to see Connie holding back her laughter.

"You eat like a bear." She said, taking her seat again.

"Now that's not exactly the nicest thing to say to a man about to fight for your country."

"I never said it was a bad thing." She said, staring out the window. Snow was gently falling on the street. Soon it would completely cover the ground, it had been very cold all year and would likely stay that way. Connie had a long walk home and her shoes weren't that sensible for the weather.

Bucky glanced out the window with a mouth full of bacon and then looked back at her. "Do you not enjoy the snow?"

"It's not that. I just have a long walk home." She said, sighing.

"How about I walk you? That might make it a little better."

"Or a lot." He smiled at her.

An hour later, Connie's shift ended and together they set off for Connie's home on the outskirts of Manhattan. She lived there with her parents and siblings. Bucky and Connie walked side by side, talking about their childhoods; Bucky's with Steve and Connie's as the eldest of six children. They were in the middle of a conversation when all of a sudden, Connie slipped, falling. Bucky caught her before she hit the ground.

"Well I'm certainly glad that we have men with reflexes like yours defending our country." She said, winded. She straightened her skirt and coat, then looked down to see a tear in her stockings. She frowned.

Bucky offered her his arm. She slipped her hand through the crook. She said, "Thank you."

They walked cautiously the following few miles, lost in conversation. Her apartment was on the 10th floor but before they even entered the building, she turned to him and said, "Would you like to go to the pier instead? There's nothing I have to do tonight and I can't think of anything better to do than to show a soldier off right."

They continued walking and shortly, they were at the pier in question. She took him to the edge and sat down, dangling her feet over. He sat down next to her and looked out at the bay. The sun was about to set, the rays were brightly reflecting off of the fresh snowfall on the partially frozen bay. Bucky leaned back on his palms, taking in one of the last sunset he would possibly enjoy in his life. He would only have a few days of leave between training and his shipping out to God knows where. He had to make it last.

He felt a hand on his and looked down at Connie's small hand attempting to cover his. He smiled and rearranged, placing his on top of hers. "That's better, isn't it?"

"Much." She said, nodding. She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Not as beautiful as you." He said, coyly. She just rolled her eyes.

"You say that to all of the girls, don't you?"

"Only if it's true. And you're the only one I've seen that has been worthy of that comment." His thumb ran over her hand. She laughed lightly.

"You're too much." She shivered as a strong wind came in off of the bay. Bucky shrugged off of his jacket and placed it over her shoulders before resting his hand on hers again. She looked at him. "A gentleman too? My, I hit the jackpot."

They spent hours at the pier, talking at length about everything and nothing at all. It was a peculiar thing, to hit it off so well with someone you just met. But Bucky and Connie were already making plans for when he got back from training. "I'll take you dancing." He said, as they climbed to the 10th floor.

"That sounds lovely." She said, as she unlocked her door. She turned to face him and smiled sweetly. He smiled right back at her and shuffled back and forth on his feet.

"Can I write to you? All I have is Steve and I need more than reading about him getting beaten up and failing to enlist to get me through training."

"Of course." She ran inside and wrote her address down on a slip of paper then placed it in his hand, letting hers linger there as she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek gently. "Good luck, Private Barnes." She slipped into her apartment, leaving him to fold her address carefully and place it in his breast pocket, smiling all the while.


End file.
